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ADDRESSES 


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THE  CELEBRATION 


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OF  THE 


.FIFTY-FIRST  ANNIVERSARY 

OF  THE 

AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 


AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY'S  PRESS, 

ASTOR  PLACE,  NEW  YORK. 


1 8 67. 


V 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


[Each  speaker  delivers  his  own  thoughts,  for  which  the  Managers  and  ofliccrs 
of  the  Society  arc  not  responsible.] 

The  Anniversary  exercises  were  held  in  Steinway  Hall,  Fourteenth  Street, 
May  9,  1867,  James  Lenox,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Society,  in  the  chair. 

The  exercises  were  commenced  by  reading  the  nineteenth  Psalm,  and  prayer 
by  Rev.  Mark  Hopkins,  D.D.,  of  Massachusetts. 

The  Rev.  C.  S.  Robinson,  D.D.,  of  Brooklyn,  moved  the  adoption  of  the 
first  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Report,  an  abstract  of  which  has  been  presented,  be 
printed  and  circulated  under  the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Managers. 

He  took  occasion  to  call  attention  to  the  attitude  in  which  the  two  antago- 
nists of  the  Protestant  faith  are  now  standing,  the  Papal  and  the  Mohammedan 
systems.  He  stated  that  when  in  London  a year  ago,  the  order  came  from  the 
Pope,  addressed  to  all  English  and  American  travellers,  that  they  should  leave 
behind  them  their  Bibles  and  their  revolvers , or  they  would  be  stopped  at  the 
frontier.  These  then  are  the  things  Rome  most  fears : arms  for  the  hands  of 
her  restive  and  oppressed  populace,  and  the  free  Gospel  for  their  hearts.  It 
was  no  mission  of  ours  to  supply  revolvers,  but  the  prohibition  of  Bibles  should 
urge  to  a yet  more  liberal  distribution ; thus  Rome  could  be  hastened  to  its 
downfall.  And  Mohammedanism  has  the  same  fear  of  the  Word,  and  should 
be  attacked  the  more  vigorously  by  it.  He  related  a conversation  held  in  one 
of  the  mosques  of  Cairo,  in  which  an  intelligent  follower  of  the  false  prophet 
had  admitted  the  great  anxiety  of  Mussulmans  concerning  the  Bible.  The 
indistinct  notions  they  had,  have  been  gathering  form  for  several  years.  Vague 
rumours  concerning  the  expeditions  in  Palestine  reach  the  ears  of  the  faithful, 
and  especially  the  endeavours  made  to  obtain  possession  of  the  ancieut  Penta- 
teuch, cherished  with  such  religious  care  among  the  Samaritans  at  Shechem, 
have  aroused  the  solicitude  of  their  leaders;  they  anticipate  nothing  less  than 
an  overthrow  before  long,  from  what  they  mysteriously  term  “ That  Book:1 
From  all  the  successes  of  the  past  year,  the  speaker  drew  only  renewed  encour- 
agement for  fre^h  endeavours  during  the  y'ear  to  come. 

Remarks  of  Rev.  Dr.  Rodgers  : 

A very  important  reason  why  this  Report  should  be  printed  is,  that  the  more 
you  print  of  your  doings,  the  larger  will  be  the  interest  which  the  public  will 
take  in  the  operations  of  the  American  Bible  Society.  It  appears  to  me,  sir,  if 
ever  there  was  a time  when  those  who  have  the  charge  of  this  Institution 
should  thank  God  and  take  courage,  it  is  the  present.  If  through  the  influence 
of  truth,  souls  can  be  converted  to  God,  what  may  we  not  hope  for  as  bringing 
sinners  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth,  and  to  the  foot  of  the  Cross,  that 


4 : 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


they  may  rejoice  in  Him  who  died  upon  the  tree  ? What  may  we  not  hope  for, 
from  the  millions  of  copies  of  the  Bible  spread  broadcast  upon  our  ruined 
world?  What  may  we  not  hope  for,  from  the  light  now  springing  up  to  en- 
lighten the  nations  that  have  long  been  sitting  in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow 
of  death  ? Oh,  sir,  angels  and  ransomed  souls  will  rejoice  over  such  scenes  as 
these.  They  will  look  forward  to  the  time  when  through  such  influences  as 
these,  the  kingdom  and  the  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  from 
under  the  whole  heavens,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High.  Surely,  sir,  we  have  abundant  reasons  to  rejoice  in  God’s  rich 
blessing  upon  the  efforts  already  put  forth  by  the  American  Bible  Society. 
Let  us  thank  God  for  what  has  been  done.  It  is  the  Lord’s  doing.  It  is 
marvellous  in  our  eyes.  I believe,  sir,  if  by  the  grace  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ, 
we  are  ever  permitted,  when  we  shall  have  done  our  work  here,  to  hear  the 
welcome,  “ Come,  ye  blessed,”  we  shall  find  thousands  and  thousands  from 
every  nation,  kindred,  and  clime,  under  heaven,  around  the  throne  of  God, 
praising  the  grace  that  brought  them  there  through  the  instrumentality  of  the 
Bible,  which  this  Institution  has  spread  abroad,  far  and  wide.  I second  this 
resolution  with  great  pleasure. 

The  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Clark,  D.D.,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  offered  the  following 
resolution : 

Resolved , That  the  history  of  the  world  shows  that  the  Bible  is  the  source 
of  true  civilization. 

In  rising,  sir,  to  speak  of  the  Holy  Bible,  I feel  the  same  embarrassment  that 
I should,  were  I invited  to  pronounce  a eulogy  upon  the  sun.  I might  speak  of 
the  splendor  and  the  importance  of  this  central  orb  of  light  and  heat ; I might 
attempt  to  describe  how  the  light  pours  along  the  valleys,  and  over  the  plains, 
and  upon  the  mountains,  and  shines  upon  tens  of  thousands  of  happy  homes : 
but  all  my  word-pictures  would  fall  far  short  of  the  reality.  There  is  the 
sun  in  the  heavens,  that  every  day  and  every  hour  speaks  for  itself.  I 
must  search,  therefore,  for  some  image  that  shall  come  within  the  range  of 
human  thought  and  comprehension ; 'and,  among  the  various  images  presented, 
I find  the  Apostle  John  views  the  Bible,  or  religion,  as  the  Tree  of  Life, 
planted  by  the  river  of  salvation,  yielding  her  fruits  every  month,  abounding  in 
all  the  variety  of  rich  fruits  for  the  soul,  for  man’s  spiritual  nourishment  and 
development. 

But  I shall  not  enter,  sir,  upon  a consideration  of  the  fruits  of  this 
great  tree ; for,  he  adds,  “ The  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the 
nations.”  I shall  confine  my  remarks,  therefore,  simply  to  the  leaves  of  this 
tree.  While  the  fruits  are  for  immortality,  yet  the  incidental  advantages  of 
the  Bible  falling  upon  the  nations  prove  to  my  mind  its  Divine  origin,  prove 
that  those  who  will  take  the  leaves  and  be  healed,  shall,  on  another  shoro,  and 
in  a world  of  greater  beauty  and  glory,  pluck  the  fruits. 

In  endeavouring  to  speak  upon  this  thought,  I will  first  call  your  attention 
to  the  influence  of  the  Bible  upon  the  human  intellect.  All  allow  that  no 
book  in  ancient  or  modern  times  has  made  the  impression  upon  the  human 
intellect,  has  quickened  to  such  an  extent  the  power  of  thought,  as  the  Holy 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


5 


Bible ; that  book  written  by  men  of  the  highest  genius,  men  of  Ihe  purest 
principles  and  ihe  noblest  achievements,  men  who  had  added  to  their  natural 
qualities  the  fire  of  inspiration.  Wherever  that  book  has  touched  the  human 
soul,  it  has  vitalized  its  energies  ; it  has  placed  those  who  believe  in  it  in  the 
front  rank  of  the  civilization  of  the  world.  I know,  sir,  that  skeptics  have 
claimed  that  the  men  most  gifted  in  genius,  and  men  who  have  made  the 
greatest  progress  in  the  natural  sciences  have  not  been  believers  in  Divine 
revelation.  I deny,  sir,  that  assertion.  I will  allow  that  men  of  attainments, 
who  have  been  without  genius,  have  collected  and  applied  the  facts  of  science  ; 
they  have  used  the  discoveries  made  by  others;  but  the  original  thinkers,  the 
men  who  have  presided  in  the  councils  of  human  learning,  have  been  believers 
in  the  Bible,  or  in  the  God  of  the  Bible. 

Were  we  permitted  to  go  back  to  ancient  times,  to  the  time  of  Plato,  we 
would  find  an  illustration  of  this  fact.  There  were  schools  of  philosophy  based 
upon  a belief  in  God  ; there  were  atheistical  schools  of  which  Democritus  was 
an  exponent,  a man  as  industrious  as  Plato,  a man  who  wrote  volume  after 
volume,  and  endeavoured  to  establish  his  philosophy  upon  a firm  basis ; but 
where  are  the  works  of  that  atheistical  school  ? They  have  all  long  since 
perished ; while  the  works  of  Plato,  and  those  who  believed  in  God,  may  be 
found  in  all  the  libraries  of  the  world. 

If  we  come  down  to  modern  times,  had  I time,  I could  show  that  the  men 
most  eminent  in  astronomy,  in  chemistry,  in  botany,  in  the  science  of  mathe- 
matics, have  been  men  who  believed  in  God  and  in  the  Bible.  It  is  said  of 
Galileo,  that,  in  his  researches  in  nature,  he  endeavoured  to  follow  the  attri- 
butes of  Deity.  He  believed  in  a God,  and  believing  in  those  attributes,  he 
made  them  the  basis  of  his  arguments,  and  endeavoured  to  search  out  in 
nature  the  thoughts  of  God.  Pascal,  a writer  of  keen  intellectual  researches, 
throws  his  fame  as  a philosopher  in  the  background  by  the  lustre  of  his 
Christian  fame.  Galileo  acknowledged,  and  Copernicus  acknowledged,  they 
were  searching  for  the  thoughts  and  designs  of  God  in  nature.  Newton 
said  that  science  had  no  other  worth,  except  to  bring  the  human  race  nearer  in 
sympathy,  obedience,  and  love,  to  the  God  of  the  Bible. 

Now,  sir,  the  point  may  be  fully  established  that,  while  men  of  intellectual 
power  and  literary  eminence  have  denied  the  inspiration  of  this  volume,  the 
great  thinkers  of  the  world  have  believed  in  the  truths  of  our  religion. 

Then,  again,  look  at  the  influence  of  the  Bible  upon  the  poetry  of  the 
world.  For  sublimity  of  thought,  for  vividness  of  imagery,  for  purity  of  diction, 
the  poetry  of  the  Bible  is  unsurpassed,  and  we  may  readily  imagine  its  in- 
fluence upon  the  poetic  mind,  adding  to  native  genius  its  own  blessed  light- 
Those  poems  that  we  most  highly  value  for  genius,  imagery,  and  power,  are 
based  upon  the  Scriptures.  I need  but  allude  to  Dante  or  to  Milton,  who 
drew  his  inspiration  from  the  sacred  volume,  and  by  its  aid  was  permitted  to 
present  to  the  world  those  marvellous  creations  of  his  gifted  intellect.  Al- 
though deprived  of  his  natural  vision,  he  had  a vision  that  has  rendered  his 
name  immortal. 

If  I should  speak  of  the  biography  of  the  Scriptures,  we  have  there  presented 
living  witnesses  of  the  power  of  God’s  truth.  We  have  religion  in  action,  and 


6 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


what  else  have  we  ? We  have  the  influence  of  that  book  upon  this  department 
of  literature,  prompting  authors  to  *THher  up  the  details  in  the  lives  of  the 
most  eminent’  Christians,  so  that  in  our  Christian  literature,  religious  biography 
holds  a very  high  rank,  and  is  in  itself  another  agency  for  advancing  the 
civilization  of  the  world. 

Were  I to  speak  of  the  orators  and  the  eloquence  of  the  Bible,  I could  trace 
that  power  upon  the  great  Protestant  nations  of  the  earth.  They  are  the  na- 
tions’ safeguards,  and  men  have  uttered  words  for  liberty,  for  truth,  and  for 
God,  that  shall  never  die. 

Again,  let  us  consider  for  a moment  the  influence  of  the  Bible  upon  man’s 
social  nature.  That  book  is  just  as  full  of  heavenly  fruits  as  the  sky  is  full  of 
stars,  and  they  shine  with  equal  brilliancy  upon  the  world.  Did  our  time 
permit,  we  could  show  that  no  system  outside  of  Christianity  has  done  for 
man  in  his  social  relations  what  the  Bible  has.  Under  literary  culture  and 
scientific  researches,  the  Grecian  Republic  and  the  Roman  Empire  obtained 
great  eminence  and  power ; but  what  was  the  condition  of  the  lower  classes 
of  people?  The  Bible  is  the  only  book  that  has  presented  to  the  world  the 
idea  of  the  universal  brotherhood  of  mankind.  That  is  the  book  that  tells  us 
to  love  our  neighbours  as  ourselves.  It  is  the  book  that  carries  its  influence, 
not  through  the  higher  circles  alone,  but  through  all  classes;  teaching  our 
relations  one  to  another,  teaching  that  every  man  is  our  brother ; and,  under 
the  influence  of  that  gospel  ideal,  civilization  has  advanced  as  it  never  did  in 
any  other  age  of  the  world. 

I may  speak  also  of  the  influence  of  this  book  upon  the  governments  of  the 
world.  When  God  established  a theocracy  over  the  Jewish  nation,  under 
which  that  nation  was  brought  from  a state  of  barbarism  to  a high  position,  He 
gave  to  the  world  the  principles  of  all  free  and  just  governments.  When  the 
finger  of  God  wrote  the  ten  commandments  on  the  tables  of  stone,  He  gave  the 
fundamental  principles  of  all  law,  as  well  as  social  government.  Well,  now, 
what  does  the  history  of  the  world  prove  ? It  proves  that  those  governments 
that  have  since  adopted  the  principles  presented  by  Jehovah,  who  was  king  of 
Israel  for  a series  of  years,  have  conferred  upon  society  the  greatest  domestic, 
social,  and  civil  blessings  that  have  ever  been  enjoyed  by  the  masses  of  the 
people.  And  then,  it  creates  a government  in  the  soul  itself.  This  audience,  ‘ 
which  I am  addressing  here,  is  loyal  to  the  American  government,  not  because 
of  fear  of  the  penalties  of  breaking  the  laws.  No.  We  have  accepted  the 
government  of  the  Bible.  We  have  accepted  the  ideas  of  righteousness,  and 
truth,  and  humanity,  that  the  Bible  teaches.  We  are  true  to  this  ideal,  inward 
government,  and  this  gives  to  us  our  national  freedom ; for,  paradoxical  as  it 
may  seem,  the  freer  the  people  are,  the  more  rigidly  they  adhere  to  law.  If 
man  can  be  governed  by  the  great  principles  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  he  will  be 
true  to  a just  government.  The  American  government  might  be  swept  away 
to-day,  and  those  whom  I address,  and  the  five  millions  of  Christians  in 
America,  would  bo  all  true  to  the  ideal  government  representing  the  great 
principles  of  truth.  What  an  element  is  that  in  civilization  ! 

What  was  it,  Mr.  President,  that  carried  us  recently  through  the  great 
struggle  to  maintain  our  nation,  to  maintain  this  free  republic  ? The  belief  in 


ANN IV KR8  A R Y A1U>E ES8E8. 


( 

the  Holy  Scriptures.  We  have  taken  the  leaves  from  the  tree  of  life,  and  they 
have  been  far  the  healing  of  our  nation.  What  sustained  our  late  martyred 
President  in  ea  rying  the  nation  through  the  severe  struggle?  Ho  believed  in 
the  Scriptures,  « "1  that  enabled  him  to  put  his  foot  upon  the  rock  of  our 
nationality,  and  to  . dare,  “ I have  recorded  a vow  in  heaven  that  I will  defend 
and  maintain  the  sd  States’  government.”  He  read  in  that  volume  these 
words,  “ Proclaim  libwly  throughout  all  the  land,  and  to  all  the  inhabitants 
thereof,”  and  that  enabled  him  to  put  his  name  to  the  Emancipation  Act  that 
caused  the  chains  to  fall  from  three  millions  of  people.  It  is  the  Bible  that 
gives  to  us  our  national  existence,  that  gives  to  us  our  freedom,  our  civil 
rights,  and  our  domestic  peace. 

Were  I not  trespassing  too  long,  I might  prove  my  assertions  by  allusions 
to  the  different  nations  of  the  earth.  My  brother,  Doctor  Robinson,  has  referred 
to  the  condition  of  Italy.  We  find  that  the  light  of  God  is  entering  that  nation. 
But  what  has  crushed  Italy  ? What  has  made  Rome  simply  a city  of  magnif- 
icent ruins  ? The  cause  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  Bible  is  not  permitted  to 
pass  the  gates. 

You  may  look  at  Spain  under  the  light  of  Luther’s  reformation.  That  na- 
tion first  hailed  the  Bible.  That  was  the  period  of  Spain’s  highest  prosperity. 
With  a noble  situation  for  commerce,  with  intelligence  and  enterprise  of  the 
people,  and  with  an  open  Bible,  that  nation  stood  the  foremost,  when  this  con- 
tinent was  discovered,  in  all  the  elements  of  national  prosperity.  But  ere  long 
there  comes  upon  the  throne  a king,  who  shuts  the  Bible  and  establishes  the 
Inquisition.  What  has  been  the  history  of  Spain  since  that  time  ? Waning, 
declining  in  all  the  elements  of  national  prosperity,  of  all  civil  power,  as  well 
as  religious  influence. 

Look  at  Ireland  and  Scotland,  the  one  with  a Bible,  the  other  without  it. 
See  what  is  the  condition  of  a large  portion  of  Ireland  to-day  with  the  Bible 
excluded,  and  then  look  at  Scotland  with  her  enterprise,  her  marvellous  array 
of  intellectual  men,  her  Scott,  her  Sir  William  Hamilton,  her  Carlyle,  Allison. 
Montgomery,  Reid,  Hugh  Miller,  and  a host  of  others,  all  forming  a galaxy  of 
intellectual  power  and  literary  ability. 

Wherever  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  have  fallen  they  have  been  for  the 
healing  of  the  nations;  and  all  that  was  said  by  my  brethren  in  regard  to  the 
future  prospects  of  this  Society,  meets  with  a cordial  response  in  my  heart ; 
and  I trust,  sir,  before  your  next  Jubilee — (for  I believe  the  next  fifty  years  are 
to  be  years  of  more  marked  progress  in  the  circulation,  the  reading,  and  the 
power  of  the  Scriptures,  than  even  the  past  fifty  years  have  been) — I trust,  sir, 
that  those  who  shall  meet  on  that  occasion  may  be  able  to  rejoice  over  the  fact  that 
this  tree  has  been  planted  in  every  nation ; that  the  leaves  have  been  for  the 
healing  of  all  the  people,  and  tens  of  thousands  shall  have  been  prepared  to 
pluck  the  fruits  of  this  tree,  and  live  for  ever.  Then  will  there  be  a jubilee, 
that  shall  encircle  the  whole  earth  with  its  song  of  praise. 

I have  somewhere  read  that  among  the  mountains  of  Switzerland,  when  the 
sun  goes  down,  a Swiss  mountaineer  will  ascend  to  the  summit  of  one  of  his 
native  hills,  and  through  his  Alpine  horn  will  give  utterance  to  the  notes  of 
the  psalm,  “ Praise  the  Lord and  then  another  Swiss  mountaineer  on  a dis- 


8 


AN!NTVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


tant  mountain,  will  take  up  the  notes  and  sound  them  forth,  and  another,  and 
another;  and  all  the  Swiss  within  the  sound  of  those  trumpets  uncover  their 
heads,  and  bow  in  the  act  of  evening  worship.  May  we  not  hope  that  the  time 
will  come  when  the  nations  will  say,  “ How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are 
the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace,  that  saith 
unto  Zion,  Thy  God  reigneth.”  May  we  not  anticipate  the  day  when  all 
along  these  mountains  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  nations  respond, 
“Praise  God,”  and  when  all  will  say,  “Unto  Him  that  loved  us,  and  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto 
God,  and  his  Father;  to  Him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen.” 

The  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Hastings,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  on  rising  to  second  the 
resolution,  spoke  as  follows  : 

I rise  to  second  the  important  resolution  which  has  now  been  offered  and 
so  ably  enforced  by  my  brother  who  has  just  taken  his  seat.  I believe,  in 
according  me  the  privilege  of  seconding  this  resolution,  it  is  not  expected  that 
I shall  consume  time  with  a speech ; and  yet  a word  or  two  I cannot  forbear 
saying,  the  subject  seems  to  me  so  full  of  interest,  so  full  of  importance,  par- 
ticularly at  this  stage  of  our  Christian  work.  If  I understand  the  theology  of 
this  subject,  it  is  this : Shall  we  put  the  Bible  before  education  and  civilization, 
or  education  and  civilization  before  the  Bible  ? Shall  we  take  human  deprav- 
ity as  it  wallows  in  its  corruption,  rank,  ruined,  full  of  the  venom  of  sin,  the 
poison  of  Satan,  and  endow  that  depravity  with  all  the  weapons  and  machinery 
of  our  civilization  ? Shall  we  intrust  to  the  service  of  the  devil  the  knowl- 
edge and  power  that  were  meant  only  for  the  service  of  the  Most  High? 
Look  to  the  history  of  India.  England  sharpened  the  sword  that  struck  down 
some  of  her  choice  and  wrell  beloved  sons,  by  giving  civilization  first,  and 
hoping  to  give  the  Bible  next.  Our  beloved  organization,  the  American  Board 
of  Foreign  Missions,  for  many  years  tried  that  experiment  of  civilization  first, 
as  the  entering  wedge  for  the  gift  of  the  Bible.  The  schools  educated  young 
men  for  the  service  of  the  state,  and  kindled  a flame  of  ambition  that  the  devil 
used ; and  the  schools  wrere  change'd  from  English  schools  to  vernacular,  as 
a necessity,  to  save  us  from  the  mistake  of  putting  civilization  before  the 
Bible  ; and  now  wre  have  come  to  this  calm,  deliberate,  experienced  conclusion, 
that  if  we  would  put  edged  tools  into  the  hands  of  the  depraved,  if  we  would 
give  them  the  sword  and  the  rifle,  if  we  would  give  them  the  schoolhouse  and 
all  organizing  and  disciplining  agencies,  we  must  first,  with  God’s  appointed 
remedy,  the  Bible,  go  down  to  their  depravity  and  lift  it,  and  by  the  grace 
of  God  regenerate  it,  and  then  we  can  trust  it  with  all  the  implements  and  all 
the  elements  of  civilization  ; and  the  force  thus  disciplined  and  thus  organized 
will  be  for  the  evangelization  of  the  w'orld. 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  second  so  important  a resolution. 

The  Rev.  John  Cotton  Smith,  D.D.,  of  Newr  York,  moved  the  adoption  of 
the  following  resolution,  and  spoke  as  follows  : 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


9 


Mr.  President : The  resolution  which  I have  the  honour  to  offer  is  as 
follows : 

Resolved,  That  the  universal  diffusion  of  the  Bible  is  in  the  highest  degree 
important,  since  it  alone  furnishes  the  solution  of  the  great  social  and  religious 
problems  of  the  present  age. 

Celebrating,  as  we  do  to-day,  the  first  anniversary  of  the  second  half  of  a 
oentury  in  the  existence  of  this  Society ; with  such  glorious  memories  of  the 
past,  it  may  be  well  to  inquire  what  are  reasonable  anticipations  of  the  future. 

This  Society  was  established  on  the  ground  that  the  universal  diffusion  of 
the  Bible  is  one  of  the  greatest  benefits  which  can  be  conferred  upon  mankind. 
In  view  of  all  the  results  which  have  attended  the  carrying  on  of  this  work 
during  these  fifty  years,  are  we  not  prepared  to  realfirm  this  principle  ? And 
with  the  larger  experience  and  wider  observation  of  to-day,  can  we  not  confi- 
dently declare  the  paramount  importance  of  the  universal  diffusion  of  the 
Scriptures,  as  containing  the  only  solution  of  the  social  and  religious  problems 
which  are  now  agitating  society  ? 

Nothing  is  more  wonderful  than  the  intense  vitality  of  the  Bible.  Nothing 
else  has  ever  been  the  subject  of  such  assaults  and  lived.  The  most  powerful 
of  church,  organizations  would  consign  it  to  the  oblivion  of  an  unknown 
tongue,  and  has  forbidden  its  use  to  the  common  people,  and  yet  in  Italy, 
beneath  the  very  shadow  of  the  seven  hills,  the  peasant  tremblingly  reads  the 
words  of  Jesus  ; and  even  in  benighted  Spain,  over  which,  more  than  anywhere 
else  on  earth,  the  darkness  of  the  middle  ages  still  hangs  like  a pall,  the  light 
of  God's  holy  word  shines  upon  the  mountain’s  side  and  in  the  lowly  valley. 
Infidelity  has  assailed  it,  but  infidelity  has  been  driven  first  from  one,  and  then 
from  another  position  which  it  had  assumed.  Strauss,  who  denied  altogether 
the  historical  credibility  of  the  Gospels,  and  treated  the  history  of  Christ  as  a 
myth,  has  been  followed  by  Renan,  who  admits  the  credibility  of  the  Gospel 
history,  but  denies  the  supernatural  element  in  Jesus.  And  Renan  has  been 
followed  by  the  author  of  that  extraordinary  book,  £:  Ecce  Homo,”  who,  whatever 
may  be  said  of  the  position  and  influence  of  his  work,  at  least,  after  his  careful 
analysis  of  the  life  of  Christ,  leaves  you  with  the  impression  that  this  cannot 
be  the  life  of  a mere  man.  And  then  li  Ecce  Homo”  has  been  followed  by  “ Ecce 
Deus,”  which,  whatever  may  be  its  defects  of  statement,  places  upon  an  im- 
pregnable foundation  the  divinity  as  well  as  the  humanity  of  Jesus. 

These  works  to  which  I have  referred  are  an  index  to  the  progress  of  public 
sentiment  during  the  last  fifty  years.  They  clearly  indicate  that  there  is 
something  in  these  Scriptures  which  man’s  deepest  needs  require,  and  that 
therefore  they  will  live  and  reassert  themselves  in  all  their  mighty  power  in 
every  generation  of  the  world. 

The  element  in  the  Bible  which  gives  it  this  indestructible  power  is  to  be 
found  in  the  life  and  work  of  Christ.  And  this  element  is  everywhere 
present.  It  is  in  the  history  of  the  patriarchal  ages ; it  pervades  the  account 
which  is  given  us  of  God's  ancient  people ; it  presents  itself  in  type  and  cere- 
mony; it  reappears  in  poetry  and  prophecy;  it  shines  forth  with  effulgent 
glory  in  the  narrative  of  the  Gospels;  it  is  commented  upon  and  illustrated  in 
the  Epistles  of  Christ’s  Aposiles,  and  in  the  Apocalypse  it  clothes  itself  with 


10 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


the  beauty  and  majesty  of  the  world  to  come.  The  whole  Bible  therefore, 
from  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  to  the  last  of  Revelation,  is  one  magnificent 
and  complete  unveiling  to  us  of  the  person  and  work  of  Christ. 

Our  position  then  is,  that  in  the  person  and  work  of  Christ,  which  it  is  the 
one  great  object  of  the  Bible  to  set  before  us,  is  to  be  found  that  which  is  an 
imperative  necessity  for  the  temporal  and  eternal  welfare  of  mankind. 

The  resolution  which  I have  read  leads  me  to  speak  particularly  of  the 
relation  of  the  Bible  to  the  great  social  and  religious  problems  of  tho  age.  In 
the  world’s  progress,  the  Bible,  presenting  as  it  does,  the  life  and  work  of 
Christ,  constantly  subjects  every  social  and  religious  theory  to  the  test  of 
Christ’s  teachings  and  example.  The  consequence  has  been  that  since  the 
Bible  has  been  opened  to  the  masses  of  mankind,  error  and  superstition,  in  a 
thousand  forms,  have  disappeared,  and  a new  era  of  light  and  liberty  has  been 
introduced. 

A fact  occurred  during  the  Protestant  Reformation,  which  seems  to  be 
invested  with  a symbolic  character.  Tyndale,  the  English  reformer,  not 
daring  to  publish  his  translation  of  the  New  Testament  in  England,  caused  it 
to  be  printed  on  the  Continent ; and  being  followed  there  by  the  emissaries  of 
the  Pope,  he  took  the  copies  which  he  had,  placed  them  in  a boat,  and  by  night 
sailed  with  them  down  the  Rhine.  On  that  beautiful  river  he  passed,  with 
his  sacred  freight,  by  those  ancient  castles,  frowning  amid  peaceful  vineyards, 
the  emblems  of  feudal  oppression  and  wrong.  They  stood  that  night  in  all 
their  strength  and  grandeur,  the  embodiment  of  a civilization  which  had  not 
been  prevaded  by  the  spirit  of  God’s  word.  But  from  that  hour,  when  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  English  tongue  passed  down  the  Rhine,  a blight 
seems  to  have  fallen  upon  the  old  feudal  institutions.  The  ancient  castles 
which  enshrined  and  protected  them  have  since  then  been  crumbling  into  dust  : 
and  the  traveller  on  the  Rhine  to-day  gazes  thoughtfully  upon  the  ruins  of  a 
dark  and  terrible  era  in  the  world’s  history.  This  is  but  the  outward  and 
symbolical  expression  of  the  fact,  that  all  forms  of  superstition  and  wrong  van- 
ish in  the  presence  of  the  word  of  God. 

But  if  we  would  see  how  much  is  involved  in  this  assertion,  we  shall  do 
well  to  consider  the  relation  of  the  Bible  to  the  great  social  and  religious 
problems  which  present  themselves  to  the  present  age. 

Among  these  social  problems  there  is  none  moro  important  than  the 
relations  of  capital  to  labour.  No  interest  of  society  at  the  present  day  is 
subject  to  greater  disturbance  that  that  which  depends  upon  these  relations, 
and  scarcely  any  subject  is  receiving,  in  a greater  degree,  the  attention  of  think- 
ing men.  Now  let  us  see  what  the  science  of  political  economy  can  furnish 
for  the  solution  of  this  problom.  This  science  is  based  upon  self  interest.  It 
necessarily  follows  that  so  far  as  this  science  is  concerned,  there  is  an  inevita- 
ble antagonism  between  capital  and  labour.  It  is  manifestly  for  the  interest  of 
the  capitalist  to  get  all  the  labour  ho  can  at  tlio  lowest  possiblo  price,  and  the 

interest  of  tho  labourer  to  do  as  little  work  as  he  can,  and  for  that 

little  to  receive  the  highest  possible  price.  Now,  on  the  principle  of 
self  interest,  can  there  be  any  reconciliation  of  these  antagonisms  ? 

If  we  mean  to  include  in  the  scope  of  self  interest  all  that  belongs 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


11 


to  the  highest  welfare  of  man,  there  will  indeed  be  no  difficulty,  for 
then  self  interest  will  become  identical  with  self  sacrifice.  But  this  is 
not  the  meaning  of  self  interest  in  the  science  of  political  economy.  In  that 
science  it  includes  only  the  accumulation  of  wealth.  It  has  been  gravely 
proposed  of  late  to  cut  the  knot  of  the  difficulty  by  making  all  men  capitalists. 
You  might  with  as  little  absurdity  propose  to  make  all  men  labourers.  The 
result  of  this  antagonism,  notwithstanding  all  the  fine  theories  on  the  subject, 
is,  that  there  is  an  irrepressible  conflict  between  capital  and  labour ; that,  as 
a general  rule,  the  capitalist  becomes  richer,  while  the  labourer  does  little  more 
than  to  sustain  life,  and  that  these  antagonisms  are,  from  time  to  time,  adjusted 
only  by  “combinations”  and  “strikes,”  hurtful  both  to  capital  and  labour 
alike. 

What  is  needed,  is  manifestly  not  any  mere  cool  calculation  of  interest,  but 
the  qualifying  of  that  calculation  by  a high  and  noble  spirit  which  political 
economy  is  impotent  to  inspire.  And  where  can  such  a spirit  find  its  source  of 
inspiration  but  in  the  life  of  Christ?  When  you  put  yourself  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus,  all  these  relations  assume  an  entirely 
different  aspect.  Jesus  Christ  treated  the  principles  which  lie  at  the  basis  of 
our  science  of  political  economy  with  holy  contempt.  He  declared,  and  he 
meant  that  it  should  be  a practical  principle,  that  man  should  love  his  fellow- 
man  as  himself,  and  he  set  the  example  of  this  by  loving  others  better  than 
himself.  Just  so  far  as  the  spirit  of  Christ’s  life  and  teachings  prevades 
society,  just  so  far  the  difficulties  of  this  question  are  removed.  Jesus  Christ, 
in  his  precepts  and  in  his  example,  never  stopped  short  at  mere  justice.  He 
assumed  at  once  a higher  level,  and  issued  his  teachings  and  commands  from  a 
loftier  elevation.  He  made  magnanimity  and  benevolence  positive  duties,  and 
admits  of  no  relations  in  which  they  are  not  controlling  principles.  Now-,  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  the  prevalence  of  these  principles  in  society  would 
harmonize  the  antagonisms  of  which  we  have  spoken,  for  under  their  influence 
men  would  “ bear  each  other’s  burdens”  in  matters  of  business,  as  well  as  in 
the  bestowing  of  charity.  These  conflicts  between  capital  and  labour  involve 
the  selfishness  of  the  capitalist  or  of  the  labourer,  or  of  both.  The  labourer 
must  be  either  selfish  or  oppressed,  and  the  powder  of  Christ’s  life  w-ould 
remedy  the  difficulty  by  removing  his  selfishness  in  the  one  case,  or  his 
employer’s  in  the  other. 

It  may  be  said  that  this  is  utterly  impracticable,  and  that  men,  in  business 
matters,  will  always  continue  to  be  influenced  by  considerations  of  mere  self 
interest.  Then,  I say,  it  follows,  and  there  is  no  evading  the  conclusion,  that 
the  teachings  and  example  of  Christ  are  not  adapted  to  human  society,  and 
that  the  time  will  never  come  when  they  are  to  prevail.  Let  no  man  assert 
or  believe  this.  During  all  these  eighteen  hundred  years  the  power  of  that 
holy  life  of  Christ  has  been  working  on  earth  : humanizing  institutions,  soften- 
ing and  refining  manners,  and  elevating  all  the  relations  of  society  towards  the 
standard  which  He  has  set  up.  The  time  will  come  towards  which  all  this 
movement  is  tending,  and  when  the  standard  will  be  fully  reached.  How- 
clear  is  it  then,  that  in  the  Bible  is  to  be  found  the  solution  of  this  great  social 
question,  which  human  philosophy  has  never  been  able  to  furnish  ! And  so  it 


12 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


is  with  all  the  social  questions  which  agitate  the  present  age.  Diffuse  the 
Bible,  and  you  diffuse  the  answers  to  them.  This  Revelation  is  built  into  the 
basis  of  eternal  truth,  which  underlies  this  vast  ocean  of  human  life.  It  rises 
through  it  and  towers  above  it.  No  surging  waves  or  beating  tempests  can 
move  or  shake  it ; and  lifting  itself  to  the  very  skies,  it  pours  forth  from  its 
translucent  dome  a flood  of  light,  dispelling  the  darkness  of  the  deep,  and 
illumining  even  the  remotest  shores  of  time. 

As  an  example  of  the  religious  problems  of  this  age,  let  us  consider  for  a 
moment  the  question  of  the  personal  existence  of  God.  It  may  seem  strange 
to  the  Christian  mind,  reverent  and  devout  in  all  its  thoughts  of  God,  but  it  is 
nevertheless  true,  that  many  thoughtful  men  have  been  revolving  this 
question.  It  has  invariably  agitated  the  human  mind  whenever  and  wherever 
the  Bible  has  been  unknown ; and  just  in  proportion  as  the  authority  of  the 
Bible  is  weakened,  or  its  inspiration  denied,  or  loosely  held,  will  this  question 
re-appear  and  torture  the  soul  with  its  demands  for  solution.  Without  Ihe 
Bible,  men  will  attempt  to  solve  it  by  Atheism,  which  denies  a personal  God 
by  denying  God  altogether;  or  by  Pantheism,  which  denies  a personal  God 
by  denying  that  there  is  any  personality  but  God. 

If  you  trace  the  history  in  modern  times  of  those  systems  which  deny  a 
personal  God,  you  will  find  that  they  grow  out  of  and  accompany  that 
destructive  criticism  of  the  Scriptures  which  has  prevailed  of  late  years,  espe- 
cially in  Germany,  and  seems  to  flourish  in  exact  proportion  to  the  extent  of 
that  criticism.  When  the  light  of  God’s  word  began  to  be  obscured,  some  fifty 
years  since,  by  the  clouds  of  Rationalism,  a nebulous  Pantheism  rose  above  the 
religious  horizon.  And  now  that  the  clouds  are  dispersing,  and  the  light 
beginning  once  more  to  shine  in  all  its  brightness,  these  huge  nebulous  forms 
are  vanishing  in  the  clearing  heavens. 

The  reason  of  this  is  plain.  We  cannot  arrive  at  any  absolute  certainty  in 
nature  as  to  the  personality  of  God.  We  find  ourselves  surrounded  by  a vast 
mechanism,  with  its  gigantic  forces  working  ceaselessly  and  invariably.  We 
find  law.  But  it  is  doubtful,  at  least,  whether  we  can  pass  beyond  the  law  to  a 
personal  lawgiver,  and  penetrate  through  the  phenomena  of  nature  to  their  hidden 
personal  cause.  Besides  this,  the  mind  is  led  by  a sort  of  fatal  fascination  to 
destroy  the  distinction  between  matter  and  mind ; between  the  inwardly  per- 
ceiving subject  and  the  outwardly  existing  object;  and  to  arrive  at  a 
conviction  of  the  fundamental  unity  of  all  existence,  and  thus  to  the  denial  of 
any  distinction  between  God  and  his  works. 

But  this  silence,  or  doubtful  utterance  of  nature,  in  regard  to  a personal 
God,  and  this  fatal  tendency  of  the  mind  to  confound  the  Creator  with  the 
creation,  is  abundantly  met  in  Revelation,  not  by  any  mere  abstract  reasoning 
or  philosophical  statements,  but  by  displaying  to  us  the  personality  of  God,  in 
holding  up  before  us  “God  manifest  in  the  flesh.”  It  brings  within  our  view 
and  the  range  of  our  finite  faculties  God  as  a personal  being.  We  see  God  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  awful  silence  is  broken,  and  God  is  revealed  to 
us  in  a personality  distinct  from  our  personality,  and  yet  in  intense  sympathy 
with  us.  In  nature  we  have  the  works  of  God ; in  Revelation  we  have  God 
himself.  We  need  both  to  assure  us  of  the  absolute  distinction  between  Him 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


13 


who  creates,  and  that  which  is  created,  and  thus  to  establish  for  us,  on  the 
surest  foundations,  the’personality  of  God. 

I have  thus  glanced  at  two  great  questions  with  which  the  minds  of  think- 
inn  men  at  the  present  day  arc  intensely  occupied.  One  of  them  in  the  practi- 
cal sphere  of  social  life,  the  other  in  the  higher  sphere  of  religious  speculation. 
The  argument  which  I have  indicated,  rather  than  followed  out,  will  be  found 
to  prove  the  truth  of  the  statement  that  the  Bible  alone  furnishes  the  solution  of 
great  social  and  religious  problems.  Now,  if  the  welfare  of  mankind  is  depend- 
ent, as  it  certainly  is,  upon  right  conclusions  as  to  these  social  questions ; if 
all  tho  higher  and  nobler  faculties  of  man  are  called  into  exercise  only  when 
they  are  quickened  into  being  by  true  conceptions  of  God  ; and  if,  in  addition  to 
leading  to  these  conclusions  and  conceptions,  the  word  of  God  convinces  man 
of  guilt,  shows  him  the  way  of  pardon,  teaches  him  how  he  may  be  reconciled 
to  God  his  heavenly  Father,  and  opens  to  him  the  gates  of  eternal  life  and 
felicity,  in  what  higher  and  nobler  work  can  we  be  engaged,  than  in  diffusing 
it  through  every  country,  and  bringing  it  into  living  contact  with  every  mind? 
For  so  shall  we  bo  permitted  to  put  our  hands  to  the  chariot  wheels  of  God’s 
providence,  and  aid  in  moving  the  world  onward  to  its  great  consummation. 
So  shall  it  be  our  privilege  to  hasten  the  pealing  of  those  chimes  which  mark 
the  periods  of  the  world’s  progress  towards  the  attainment  of  the  true,  and  the 
pure,  and  the  good  ; those  bells  of  the  ages  which  Tennyson  apostrophizes  in  a 
noble  passage  of  the  u In  Memoriam 

“ Ring  out  the  grief  that  saps  the  mind. 

For  those  that  here  we  see  no  more  ; 

Ring  out  the  feud  of  rich  and  poor, 

Ring  in  redress  for  all  mankind. 

“ Ring  out  a slowly  dying  cause, 

And  ancient  forms  of  party  strife  ; 

Ring  in  the  nobler  modes  of  life. 

With  sweeter  manners,  purer  laws. 

“ Ring  in  the  va'  ant  man.  and  free  ; 

The  larger  heart,  the  kindlier  hand  : 

Ring  out  the  darkness  of  the  land. 

Ring  in  the  Christ  that  is  to  be  ” 


The  Hon.  Peter  Parker,  M.D.,  President  of  the  Washington  City  Bible 
Society,  D.  C.,  on  rising  to  second  the  third  resolution,  spoke  as  follows  : 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  second  the  resolution  that  has  heen  so  ably  ad- 
vocated by  my  brother,  and  in  so  doing  I shall  restrict  myself  to  a single  remark 
or  two.  The  society  that  I have  the  honour  to  represent  here  to-day.  has  been 
deeply  impressed  with  the  sentiment  that  is  conveyed  in  the  resolution  that 
has  been  now  offered — the  importance  of  the  universal  diffusion  of  the  Bible. 
They  have  felt  it  particularly  in  relation  to  their  own  city,  the  metropolis  of 
the  nation  : and  for  more  than  a year  past  a very  judicious,  efficient,  and  able 
agent  has  been  employed  in  canvassing  the  city,  to  ascertain  the  destitution 
that  prevails  there  of  this  inestimable  blessing  of  God  to  man,  and  to  supply 
all  who  would  receive  it.  When  the  proposition  was  first  made  to  employ 
such  an  agency,  an  opinion  was  expressed  that  there  might  be  found  in  the  city 
of  Washington  eight  hundred  families  destitute  of  the  word  of  God.  The  idea 


14 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


was  appalling.  “ Impossible,”  was  the  response.  But  what  is  the  result  ? 
A canvass  of  six  wards  of  the  city  discloses  the  painful  fact,  that  there  were 
three  thousand  and  two  hundred  families  in  the  metropolis  of  this  nation  with- 
out the  word  of  God.  You  may  well  conceive  that  it  is  with  interest  that  I 
rise  to  second  a resolution  of  this  character.  I would  remark,  however,  in 
relation  to  this  destitution,  that  a portion  of  those  who  are  destitute  of  the 
Bible  are  Roman  Catholics,  and  a large  portion  also  are  freedmen,  who  have 
been  in  the  recent  revolution,  in  the  providence  of  God,  brought  within  the 
limits  of  the  District  the  past  few  years.  But  there  is  also  a great  destitution, 
in  addition  to  this,  among  the  foreign  and  native  population ; and  it  is  with 
peculiar  interest  that  this  investigation  has  been  made,  and  that  the  society  is 
engaged  in  endeavouring  to  supply  the  deficiency.  We  rejoice  in  the  success 
which  has  attended  the  efforts,  not  only  of  this  auxiliary,  but  of  all  auxiliary 
societies  of  the  Parent  Society,  in  this  direction.  My  brother  (Rev.  Dr.  Clark), 
one  of  the  early  speakers,  states  that  it  would  be  futile  to  attempt  to  describe 
to  us  the  sun.  To  us  who  behold  its  light  and  feel  its  heat — what  descrip- 
tion can  compare  with  that  experience  ? I rejoice  to  hear  eulogies  upon  the 
Bible.  I rejoice  in  all  those  far  reaching,  those  glorious  views,  that  have 
been  presented  in  the  series  of  sermons,  called  the  Jubilee  sermons.  I 
have  heard  them  with  unspeakable  satisfaction;  but,  after  all  that  we  hear, 
after  all  that  we  can  read,  we  appeal  to  the  Christian’s  own  experience  for  the 
highest  conception  of  the  importance  and  the  blessedness  of  that  precious  book. 

My  Christian  friends,  as  we  look  forward,  as  many  of  us  do,  to  the  day  not 
distant  when  we  must  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  oh, 
what  a consolation  to  us  personally  is  it,  that  we  have  the  light  of  that  volume 
to  shine  upon  our  way ; and  with  that  volume  in  our  hands,  we  can  say, 
“ Though  I walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I will  fear  no 
evil ; for  Thou  art  with  me ; thy  rod  and  thy  staff,  they  comfort  me.”  We 
know  that  the  same  consolation  which  wc  feel  and  need  is  equally  necessary 
to  the  millions  of  our  country,  to  the  millions  of  our  race.  And  let  us,  as  we 
feel  the  presence  of  this  religion  of  God,  the  eternal  God  it  reveals,  the  truths 
that  it  makes  known  to  us,  and  the  prospects  beyond  the  grave  that  it  opens 
to  us;  as  we  cherish  these  as  personal  blessings,' let  us  show  our  gratitude  in 
doing  all  that  we  can,  and  as  speedily  as  possible,  to  give  the  same  boon  ’o  all, 
in  every  tongue,  in  every  land. 

I have  great  pleasure,  sir,  in  seconding  this  resolution. 

The  Rev.  Albert  L.  Long,  of  Constantinople,  moved  the  adoption  of  the 
fourth  resolution,  and  spoke  as  follows  : 

Resolved , That  we  recognise  with  devout  thanksgiving  the  blessings  with 
which  God  has  attended  the  third  general  resupply  of  our  whole  country  with 
his  holy  word,  and  that  the  results  already  secured  encourage  its  vigorous 
prosecution  until  it  shall  bo  completed. 

During  the  recent  fearful  visitation  of  the  cholera  in  the  city  of  Constanti- 
nople, by  which  more  than  50,000  inhabitants  were  swept  away,  a missionary 
brother  and  myself  in  that  city,  in  our  efforts  to  minister  as  far  as  we  could  to 
the  sick  and  the  dying,  treated  among  others  the  son  of  a poor  old  Turk,  who 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


15 


was  a common  scavenger,  and  lived  in  a kind  of  stable.  The  old  man  mani- 
fested for  his  son  an  affection  strongly  contrasting  with  the  shocking  heartless- 
ness manifested  by  many  of  the  higher  classes  during  that  time  of  universal 
panic ; and  when  he  saw  that  son  raised,  as  it  wrero,  from  the  very  grave,  he 
turned  to  us  with  deep  emotion,  and  said,  “ What  can  I do  for  you  for  saving 
the  life  of  my  son?”  We  replied,  “God  has  restored  to  you  your  son;  now 
show  your  gratitude  to  Him  by  doing  what  you  can  to  save  the  lives  of  those 
who  are  dying  all  around  you.”  We  were  pleased  to  see  that  this  advice  was 
taken;  and  from  that  hour  until  the  abatement  of  the  fearful  pestilence,  that 
poor  old  man  was  a faithful  assistant  through  all  those  trying  scenes.  Now, 
as  has  been  already  suggested  by  the  gentleman  who  seconded  the  last  resolu- 
tion, the  most  practical  way  in  which  we  can  manifest  our  appreciation  of  any 
favour  or  blessing  which  we  have  received  at  the  hands  of  our  Creator  is  by 
labouring  to  extend  the  same  privileges  and  blessings  to  our  fellow  men.  And 
while  wo  look  around  us,  and  behold  upon  every  side  what  God’s  word  has 
done  and  is  doing  for  us  as  a nation;  and  while  we  regard  with  heartfelt  satis- 
faction and  devout  thanksgiving  the  near  approach  of  that  period  when,  through 
the  efficient  agencies  now  in  operation  throughout  our  whole  country,  not  a 
single  family  shall  remain  destitute  of  the  word  of  God  who  are  willing  to 
accept  it — I ask,  in  what  way  can  we  better  manifest  our  gratitude  to  God  for 
these  privileges  than  by  extending  our  hands  beyond  the  seas  in  every  direction, 
reaching  out  to  those  nations  the  leaves  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  and  bidding  all  men 
to  come  and  share  with  us  these  inexhaustible  riches  which  wo  have  received 
from  God  himself.  I rejoice  in  the  fact  that  the  American  Bible  Society  is  not 
remiss  in  this  respect,  but  she  is  from  year  to  year  pushing  out  into  new  fields, 
into  the  regions  beyond,  constantly  widening  and  deepening  the  streams  of  her 
influence  among  distant  nations.  My  personal  connexion,  in  some  humble  de- 
gree, with  one  of  these  new  fields  of  the  Society’s  operations,  emboldens  me  upon 
the  present  occasion  to  risk  the  charge  of  not  sticking  closely  to  my  text,  and  to 
occupy  the  few  moments  allotted  to  me  in  a plain  and  simple  presentation  of 
some  facts  (new  perhaps  to  many  of  you,  and  of  interest,  I trust,  to  all)  in  con- 
nexion with  the  Slavic  and  Bulgarian  work,  which  is  a new  undertaking  by 
the  Society  within  the  past  year.  Allow  me,  then,  Mr.  President,  to  say,  that 
among  the  many  antagonistic  elements  of  that  polyglot  empire  which  has  for 
so  many  years  past  attracted  the  attention  of  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and 
about  whose  probable  destiny  diplomatic  speculation  is  still  so  busy,  are 
found  the  Bulgarian  people,  whose  importance  has  been  strangely  overlooked, 
but  who,  notwithstanding  all  their  obstacles,  are  steadily  coming  up  and 
demanding  the  attention  of  all  who  are  interested  in  the  administration  of 
“ the  sick  man’s  estate.”  This  people,  numbering  in  European  Turkey  alone 
four  and  a half  millions  (more  than  double  the  number,  be  it  remembered, 
of  the  Greeks,  about  whom  so  much  is  heard),  and  in  addition  to  this  num- 
ber having  about  one  million  and  a half  more  outside  of  their  province, 
found  chiefly  in  Wallachia,  Moldavia,  and  Bessarabia — this  people,  from 
their  numerical  strength  as  well  as  their  favourable  characteristics  in  com- 
parison with  the  other  races  of  that  empire,  present  to  the  friends  of  the 
Bible  a wide  field  of  great  interest  and  full  of  promise.  Connected  by  ties 


16 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


of  kindred  and  language  with  the  great  Slavic  family  of  European  nations, 
the  wave  of  western  civilization  and  European  progress  has  already  touch- 
ed them.  They  are  destined  to  rise  from  their  obscurity,  and  their  voice 
will  yet  be  heard  in  the  councils  of  the  nations,  in  their  plans  for  the  re- 
construction of  the  map  of  Europe.  I may  say  also,  that  from  their  connexion 
with  that  race  who  long  before  Luther’s  time  kindled  the  watch-fires  of  the 
Reformation  upon  the  hills  of  Bohemia  and  upon  the  plains  of  Moravia,  and 
who  have  ever  been  a strong  bulwark  against  the  arrogant  assumptions  of 
the  Papacy,  they  have  a special  claim  upon  the  attention  and  sympathy  of 
Protestant  Christians.  Converted  to  Christianity  in  the  ninth  century  through 
the  pious  labours  of  the  zealous  Slavic  apostles,  the  two  brothers,  Cyril  and 
Methodius,  they  received  as  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  as  we  could  prob- 
ably expect  at  a time  when  the  gloom  of  the  dark  ages  still  hung,  like  a funer- 
al pall,  over  the  whole  of  Christendom.  It  was  in  connexion  with  them,  it 
should  be  remembered,  that  that  famous  and  exceptional  decision  was  obtained 
from  the  papal  chair,  authorizing  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  language 
of  the  people ; and  that  decision  still  shines  like  a ray  of  sunlight  upon  the 
dark  page  of  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  those  times,  and  it  has  frequently  been 
used  with  great  power  in  confronting  that  system  of  spiritual  despotism,  which 
seals  up  the  blessed  word  of  God  and  the  sacred  offices  of  the  church  from  the 
understanding  of  the  masses.  In  the  fierce  contests  which  resulted  in  the  final 
separation  of  the  Eastern  and  Western  Churches,  the  Bulgarian  people  were 
for  a long  time  between  the  two  fires;  but  finally,  after  many  oscillations, 
according  to  the  turn  of  political  aliiirs,  they  fell  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Greek  Church,  where  they  have  remained  until  the  present  day.  In  the 
fifteenth  century,  after  many  a hard  fought  battle  with  the  Turks,  the  brave 
Ivan  Shishman,  the  last  of  the  Bulgarian  kings,  fell  with  sword  in  hand — the 
Bulgarian  lion  was  trampled  in  the  dust — and  the  blood-red  banner  of  the 
Turk  bearing  the  Moslem  crescent  waved  triumphant  over  all  Bulgaria.  The 
subjugation  of  the  Bulgarians,  from  a combination  of  unfavourable  circum- 
stances, was  more  complete  than  that  of  their  co-religionists,  the  Servians  and 
the  Wallachians,  and  their  national  organization  was  completely  broken  up. 
In  the  government  of  their  church  affairs,  they  were  permitted  for  a long  time 
to  retain  a patriarch  of  their  own,  subordinate  to  the  Patriarch  of  Constantino- 
ple. About  one  hundred  years  ago,  however,  the  Turkish  government  for 
political  reasons  abolished  the  Bulgarian  patriarchate,  and  they  fell  under  the 
absolute  ecclesiastical  control  of  the  Greeks.  The  political  aspirations  of 
the  Greeks  led  them  to  institute  a system  of  the  most  rigorous  measures 
for  the  Hellenizing  of  this  large  element  of  the  population,  and  crushing 
out  of  them  all  ideas  of  a separate  national  existence.  To  this  end  they 
persecuted  their  lauguage,  and  a systematic  attempt  was  made  to  impress 
them  with  a belief  that  they  were  of  a poor  and  despised  race,  and  that  there 
was  no  future  before  them  save  only  as  they  adopted  the  habits,  language,  and 
oven  the  name  of  their  ecclesiastical  masters.  These  attempts,  so  favourable 
to  Greek  political  influence,  but  so  disastrous  to  Bulgarian  nationality,  had 
very  nearly  been  successful.  In  most  of  the  churches  the  Greek  language  only 
was  used,  although  perfectly  unintelligible  to  the  masses  of  the  people ; in  no 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


17 


school  was  the  Bulgarian  language  taught;  and  the  whole  nation  remained 
buried  in  a night  of  superstition  and  ignorance  as  profound  as  that  of  middle 
Europe  in  the  tenth  century.  I will  not  dwell  upon  that  sad  picture,  but  will 
only  say  that  a great  change  has  come  over  that  nation.  A spark  has  fallen 
there  which  has  fired  the  national  heart  and  awakened  it  to  a new  life. 
Schools  for  instruction  in  their  own  language  have  been  established  in  almost 
every  town  and  village;  books,  newspapers,  and  magazines  are  being  multi- 
plied ; and  now,  “ Education,  education  !”  is  the  rallying  cry  of  young  Bulgaria. 
Time  would  fail  me,  upon  the  present  occasion,  to  mention  the  various  causes 
which  have  contributed  to  bring  about  this  great  revolution  ; but  I will  call  your 
attention  to  one  prominent  agency,  as  I know  you  will  rejoice  with  me  in  this 
indication  of  the  power  of  that  divine  word  in  whose  dissemination  we  are  all 
so  deeply  interested.  More  than  thirty  years  ago,  when  there  were  no  Bulga- 
rian schools  and  not  half  a dozen  books  published  in  the  modern  Bulgarian 
tongue,  the  Spirit  of  God  put  it  into  the  heart  of  a pious,  and  for  the  time  in 
which  he  lived  a learned,  Bulgarian  monk,  named  Neophyte,  to  translate  the 
New  Testament  from  the  ancient  Slavic  language  into  his  own  language,  the 
Western  or  Macedonian  dialect  of  the  Bulgarian  tongue.  lie  did  his  work 
faithfully  and  well,  considering  the  facilities  which  he  enjoyed,  and  the  book 
was  published  by  that  noble  association,  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
and  thousands  of  copies  found  their  way  among  that  oppressed  people.  That 
book,  sir,  was  like  an  electric  spark  upon  the  Bulgarian  heart,  and  many  Bul- 
garians were  by  it  incited  to  a study  of  their  own  language,  and  thereby  awoke 
to  a consciousness  of  national  life.  It  was  God’s  word  which  contributed  more 
than  any  other  cause  to  that  result;  and  I am  happy  to  add,  that  instances 
are  not  wanting  where  it  has  led  them  to  a spiritual  knowledge  of  Him  who  is 
the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life.  A young  Bulgarian,  in  relating  to  me  some 
of  the  history  of  his  life,  told  me  how,  when  a poor,  friendless  shepherd  boy,  he 
had  found  a copy  of  that  book  in  a shop.  The  sight  of  it  inspired  his  young  heart 
with  a flaming  desire  to  learn  to  read  it.  He  bought  it,  paying  for  it  all  the 
money  he  possessed ; and  then  availing  himself  of  the  assistance  of  one  who  was 
more  fortunate  than  himself  in  knowing  how  to  read,  he  set  himself  eagerly  to 
work  learning  his  letters,  that  he  might  peruse  the  Sacred  Volume,  and  drink 
in  its  inspired  instructions.  “ That  book,”  said  he  to  me  with  tears — il  that 
book  let  light  into  my  soul.”  It  is  always  so.  and  that  is  the  reason  why 
tyrants  fear  it.  The  entrance  of  that  divine  word  always  gives  light.  In 
process  of  time  this  idea  of  nationality  became  developed,  and  the  Bulgarians 
in  the  principal  towns  and  villages  began  to  banish  from  their  churches  the 
unintelligible  (and  what  was  to  them  still  worse,  foreign)  Greek  liturgy,  and 
to  substitute  for  it  their  own  Slavic  liturgy,  the  language  of  their  forefathers. 
Inasmuch  as  this  is  the  same  ecclesiastical  language  which  is  in  use  through- 
out Russia  in  all  the  churches,  the  Russians  having  received  their  Christianity 
and  early  church  literature  from  the  Bulgarians,  and  as  all  their  church  books 
were  obtained  from  Russia,  far-seeing  British  diplomatists,  in  their  zeal  for  the 
integrity  of  the  Ottoman  empire  and  the  equilibrium  of  the  nations,  and  in 
their  keen-scented  suspicion  of  everything  Russian,  thought  they  saw  in  this 
movement  a deep-laid  and  dangerous  Russian  conspiracy ; but  I see  in  it 


18 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


plainly  the  hand  of  Divine  Providence,  leading  that  people  on  step  by  step,  and 
preparing  them  for  a higher  spiritual  as  well  as  national  life.  This  change  of 
their  liturgical  language  was  a step  in  the  right  direction,  and  will,  I doubt  not, 
form  a bright  link  in  their  chain  of  history.  The  next  step  will  be  the  intro- 
duction of  the  vernacular — that  is,  the  modern  spoken  language  of  the  people. 
That  step  we  trust  will  be  taken  just  so  soon  as  the  people  are  prepared  for  it. 
One  great  obstacle  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  end  has  been  the  unsettled 
or  formative  state  of  the  modern  Bulgarian  language  itself,  and  the  want  of 
authoritative  standards  in  its  literature.  The  version  of  the  New  Testament 
to  which  I have  alluded  was  in  the  Western,  or  Macedonian  dialect,  and  that 
portion  of  Bulgaria  first  commenced  to  show  signs  of  literary  life;  but  subse- 
quently the  Eastern  dialect,  or  that  spoken  with  slight  variations  throughout 
Danubian,  Middle,  and  Upper  Bulgaria,  took  the  lead  in  literary  enterprise, 
until  now  it  may  fairly  be  said  to  have  superseded  the  other,  and  have  estab- 
lished itself  as  the  literary  language  of  Bulgaria.  Neophyte’s  version  hence 
became  antiquated  and  unacceptable ; so  that,  aside  from  the  desirableness  of 
a more  accurate  translation  made  directly  from  the  original,  a new  version 
became  an  absolute  necessity,  in  order  to  secure  its  introduction  into  the 
schools  and  its  general  diffusion  among  the  people.  Hence  a new  version  has 
been  prepared  within  the  past  few  years  with  great  care  to  meet  this  want,  and 
that  is  the  version  now  being  electrotyped  at  the  Bible  House,  for  a parallel 
edition  with  the  ancient  Slavic  text.  Among  the  different  advantages  which 
it  isjfioped  will  accrue  from  this  parallel  edition  I may  mention  the  following  : 

1 . By  placing  the  two  side  by  side,  thus  affording  a ready  means  of  com- 
parison to  all  educated  Bulgarians,  it  is  hoped  confidence  will  be  established  in 
the  new  Bulgarian  version,  and  the  mouths  of  fanatical  opponents  will  be 
stopped,  who  are  endeavouring,  as  in  papal  countries,  to  prejudice  the  people 
against  what  they  term  a corrupted  and  distorted  Protestant  gospel.” 

2.  A wider  circulation  will  be  given  to  God’s  word  in  both  languages.  The 
ancient  language  is  studied  as  it  should  be  in  all  the  schools.  Being  the  basis 
of  the  present  language,  it  is  the  great  storehouse  from  which  to  enrich  their 
vocabulary,  impoverished  by  centuries  of  ignorance  and  contact  with  foreign 
races  and  foreign  idioms.  In  the  progress  of  thought  and  the  development  of 
new  ideas  among  any  people  there  will  of  necessity  arise  new  forms  of  ex- 
pression. The  complicated  and  artificial  structure  of  classic  languages  will 
crumble  away,  and  give  place  to  simpler  and  more  lively  forms  in  which  to 
embody  the  progressive  thoughts  of  the  present  age.  The  Bulgarians,  in  their 
revival  of  literature  aro  fortunate  in  having  such  a copious  and  flexible  lan- 
guage as  the  ancient  Slavic,  upon  which  to  draw  in  supplying  their  vocabu- 
lary with  the  capital  stock  of  a new  and  vigorous  medium  for  the  communica- 
tion of  thought. 

3.  By  placing  thisdiglot  edition  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy  and  teachers,  it 
is  to  be  hoped  that  it  will  materially  aid  in  the  important  movement  already 
begun  of  substituting  the  spoken  language  of  the  people  for  the  ancient  lan- 
guage in  the  church  liturgy  and  the  public  Scripture  readings.  The  errors  of 
the  Roman  church,  as  well  as  the  Greek,  retain  their  hold  upon  the  masses  of 
the  people  by  a liturgy  which  is  in  a dead  language.  So  long  as  the  Scripture 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


19 


readings,  prayers,  and  praises  of  any  people  are  in  a dead  language,  the  service 
will  be  dead  also,  and  their  worship  will  be  devoid  of  that  life  and  spirituality 
which  ever  characterizes  true  devotion.  The  adoption  of  the  vernacular  in  the 
churches  would  be  a grand  step  toward  ecclesiastical  reform,  well  worthy  a 
life’s  labour.  The  Greek  church  has  this  to  be  said  in  her  praise,  that  she  has 
never  yet  by  any  church  canon  prohibited  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  by  the 
masses  in  the  common  language,  although  her  ignorant  and  corrupt  clergy  prac- 
tically oppose  it,  well  fearing  the  elfect  of  a comparison  of  the  sacred  teachings 
with  their  profligate  and  corrupt  lives.  I will  relate  an  incident  connected 
with  the  way  in  which  the  priests  regard  these  movements.  In  one  of  the 
prominent  cities  of  Bulgaria,  some  time  ago,  the  principal  citizens  met  together 
to  discuss  the  affairs  of  their  community ; and  it  was  proposed  that  they  should 
call  the  priests,  and  request  them  to  read  the  Scriptures  hereafter  in  the  modern 
language.  The  senior  priest,  on  hearing  the  request,  made  this  characteristic 
reply  by  way  of  objection  to  the  proposition : “ It  is  all  very  true,  as  you  say, 
that  the  people  ought  to  be  instructed  in  the  Scriptures ; but,  then,  most  of  the 
priests  are  like  myself,  ignorant  men,  and  in  reading  we  frequently  make  mis- 
takes. So  long  as  we  read  in  the  old  language,  only  the  schoolmasters  and  a 
few  others  can  detect  our  blunders  ; but  let  us  begin  once  to  read  in  Bulgarian, 
and  even  the  women  and  children  will  be  paying  attention  to  what  we  say, 
and  they  will  all  laugh  at  our  mistakes,  and  thus  our  holy  religion  will  fall 
into  contempt  and  ridicule.”  The  proposition  was  defeated,  but  the  old  priest 
was  admonished  to  spend  less  of  his  leisure  time  in  the  wine  shops,  and  give 
more  time  to  reading  the  Scriptures  in  private,  that  he  might  be  able  to  read 
in  public  without  fear  of  such  sad  consequences. 

In  regard  to  the  ancient  Slavic  version,  it  should  be  remembered  that  it 
is  in  the  classic  language  of  from  eighty  to  ninety  millions  of  people,  who  are 
but  meagerly  supplied  with  the  word  of  God.  It  is  one  of  the  most  verbal 
translations  ever  made,  transferring  with  a fidelity  impossible  in  any  modern 
language,  even  the  forms  and  idiomatical  expressions  of  the  original  Greek. 
The  first  printed  copy  of  the  four  Gospels  was  published  in  1512,  the  same  year 
in  which  the  first  printed  copy  of  the  Gospels  in  the  original  Greek  text  appear- 
ed, and  four  years  before  the  first  complete  Greek  Testament  was  printed.  The 
first  edition  of  the  whole  Slavic  New  Testament  appeared  in  the  year  1580. 
Numerous  editions  have  been  published  in  Russia ; and  within  the  past  five 
years  praiseworthy  attempts  have  been  made  by  the  Holy  Synod  of  Russia  for 
a wider  dissemination  of  God’s  word.  It  is  hoped  that  this  edition,  an  exact 
reprint  of  the  authorized  text,  will  be  allowed  free  circulation  throughout  that 
empire. 

We  have  also  in  America,  I have  been  told,  nearly  200.000  Slavonians, 
to  very  many  of  whom  this  edition  of  the  Gospel  in  their  own  sacred  tongue 
will  be  specially  acceptable.  All  Slavic-speaking  people,  Russians,  Bohemians, 
Croatians,  Servians,  Bulgarians,  and  others,  cannot  help  regarding  with  a pe- 
culiar veneration  this  ancient  version,  a thousand  years  old,  which  is  in  their 
minds  associated  with  all  the  glory  of  their  past  history.  The  language  itself 
with  its  complex  structure,  its  elevated  style,  and  majestic  movement,  seems 
to  them  to  have  a religious  intonation,  and  to  be  too  sacred  for  secular  purposes 


20 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  congratulate  the  American  Bible  Society  upon 
her  entrance  in  harmonious  co-operation  with  her  great  sister  society  across  the 
water  upon  a field  so  vast  and  so  full  of  promise.  I hope  that  it  may  be  the 
beginning  of  a nearer  acquaintance  upon  the  part  of  this  Society,  not  only  with 
the  Bulgarians  and  other  branches  of  the  Slavic  family,  but  especially  with 
that  vast  empire  which  is  now  to-day  stretching  out  its  iron  arms  in  every  di- 
rection, and  foreshadowing  such  a great  future.  While  wTe  should  not  fall  into 
the  too  prevalent  error  of  shutting  our  eyes  to  the  vast  depths  of  barbarism 
within  the  bounds  of  that  Russian  empire,  yet  we  cannot  fail  to  award  to 
Russia  the  meed  of  praise  for  what  she  has  really  accomplished  within  the 
past  decade,  and  wish  her  success  in  every  advance  toward  civil  and  religious 
liberty.  I trust  there  are  those  present  to-day  who  will  live  to  see  the  time 
when  Russia  shall  not  only  permit,  but  invite  the  American  Bible  Society  to 
assist  her  in  scattering  broadcast  throughout  all  her  wide  domain,  and  in  her 
forty  different  languages,  the  lifegiving  and  ennobling  word  of  God,  until  Rus- 
sia, Turkey,  and  every  other  nation,  shall  become  like  our  own  happy  country, 
a land  of  Bibles,  and  a land  of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

The  Rev.  M.  M’G.  Dana,  of  Norwich,  Conn.,  in  seconding  the  fourth 
resolution,  said : 

I cordially  second  the  resolution  the  general  importance  of  which  has  just 
been  set  before  us.  I believe  that  every  lover  of  God’s  truth  and  its  resultant 
freedom  is  most  deeply  interested  in  this  grand  work  of  giving  the  Bible  to 
every  resident  in  our  land.  At  this  stage  of  our  exercises,  I will  only  remind 
you,  in  a word,  of  that  sublime  fact,  which  must  ever  be,  as  it  seems  to  me, 
our  inspiration  in  this  great  undertaking,  and  that  is,  that  the  Bible  is  the 
source  and  safeguard  of  American  liberties ; and  that  we  can  never  safely 
permit  a single  generation  to  grow  up  without  a copy  of  it  in  every  home. 

In  seconding  this  resolution,  therefore,  I design  to  give  expression  to  our 
gratitude  for  the  success  which  has  thus  far  attended  this  effort,  and  also  to  our 
renewed  purpose  to  prosecute  this  work  to  its  glorious  consummation. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Cox,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  in  moving  the  adoption  of 
the  fifth  resolution,  spoke  as  follows: 

Mr.  President:  I have  sometimes  been  called  semper  paratus ; but  I wrarn 
you  that  I am  not  particularly  paratus , and  do  not  intend  to  be  very  long.  In 
the  absence  of  Dr.  Van  Dyck,  I offer  this  resolution  with  great  pleasure : 

Resolved,  That  in  the  convulsions  among  the  kingdoms  of  the  old  world,  we 
recognise  the  hand  of  God  in  opening  the  w'ay  for  the  spread  of  his  own  Truth, 
and  for  raising  up  new  evidences  of  the  power  of  that  Truth  over  nations. 

We  have  been  told  that  the  word  of  God  must  be  accepted  as  our  religious  cn. 
cyclopedia  in  the  interpretation  of  God’s  providence.  Providence,  in  turn,  seems 
to  reflect  new  light  upon  the  encyclopedia,  “wonderful  in  counsel,  excellent  in 
working.” — Is. 28:  29.  Andif  amantcllsme,  w’henlrcad  the  Bible,  “ Eeci'Homo,” 
I tell  him  I do;  and  he  ought  to  learn  what  I could  tell  him,  and  prove  “ Ecce 
Deus , ’ the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for  wdiat  Isaiah  knew  tlireo  thousand  years  ago, 
some  gentlemen  of  profounder  wisdom  than  the  depths  of  sand  and  mud  could 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


21 


give  (o  their  intellect  seem  not  to  know — “Unto  us  a child  is  born  ; unto  us  a 
son  is  given  and  the  first  diagnostic  of  his  name  is  Wonderful,  Counsellor, 
the  Mighty  God — I will  quote  the  Hebrew  here,  (“  the  Sire  of  Eternity”), — and 
the  Prince  of  Peace.  On  his  shoulder  shall  be  the  government,  and  of  the  in- 
crease of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end.  After  He  rose  from  the  dead, 
looking  down  the  roll  of  the  centuries  to  the  end  of  time — to  the  glory  of  his 
second  advent,  after  his  own  millennium  had  peopled  many  mansions  with 
many  millions  of  our  race  redeemed,  He  says.  “Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.”  “Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I havo  commanded  you  : and,  lo,  I am  with  you  alway,  even  to  the 
end  of  the  world.”  I believe  it,  sir:  I think  it  not  at  all  improbable,  that  one 
who  has  such  a plan  to  execute  will  show  the  glory  of  his  providence  in  man- 
aging matters  to  remove  mountains,  even  if  a grain  of  mustard  seed  in  our 
faith  does  not  always  anticipate  his  movements. 

Sir,  the  remarks  that  have  been  made  about  the  masses  please  me.  I had 
an  old-fashioned  idea  from  my  father  and  mother  that  “ a man’s  a man  for  a’ 
that,”  as  Burns  said;  and  that  if  the  Son  of  God  died  for  man,  I ought  not  to 
trample  on  him.  I respect  him  as  a human  being.  I read  lately  an  anecdote 
in  a religious  newspaper  that  pleased  me  very  much,  in  reference  to  the  theolo- 
gy' of  the  masses.  A pious  Christian  woman  in  the  kitchen  had.  a colleague 
there  as  dark — I won’t  say  as  Egypt,  but  as  Rome  could  make  her,  and  she 
used  to  be  saying  to  her,  “ My  religion  makes  me  love  your  soul ; I want  you, 
Polly,  to  be  a Christian.”  “I  am  a Christian.”  “No;  you  were  baptized  in 
Latin,  were  you  not  ? Did  you  know  what  the  priest  said  ?”  “ I have  been 

thinking  of  what  you  have  told  me,  Debby,  and  I will  ask  you  here,  if  you 
dare  tell  me,  where  Jesus  Christ  said,  * Read  the  Scriptures.’  ” “ I cannot  do 
that:  I can  only  tell  you  where  Jesus  Christ  said,  ‘Search  the  Scriptures.’ 
There’s  no  use  in  reading  them,  if  you  don’t  search  ; and  if  you  will  only' 
search  them,  they  will  search  you,  and  let  some  of  the  light  of  heaven  down 
into  your  soul.” 

What  a good  idea  it  wras,  we  all  know  who  ever  read  in  the  Iliad,  which 
is  one  of  the  strongest  words  which  Homer  could  get,  when  he  described 
the  agony'  of  the  lioness  which  tracked  the  footsteps  of  the  depredator  upon  her 
whelps,  seeing  and  smelling  them  with  the  greatest  care,  in  order  to  find  him 
and  bring  him  to  an  account. 

But  when  we  read  the  Bible,  we  ought  to  recollect  what  the  Bible  says  of 
itself.  “ The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy ;”  “the  spirit  of  Christ 
which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  beforehand  the  sufferings  of 
Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.” 

Mr.  President,  I rejoice  to  think  that  our  country  is  promising  some  things 
which  indicate  an  alliance  between  the  footstool  and  the  throne  in  our  rebel 
dominions.  I rejoice  in  it,  because  I am  such  a republican  that  I am  quite  a 
monarchist.  “Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in 
heaven.”  We  are  such  lovers  of  liberty  that  we  want  a king  over  us — one 
Jesus ; and  I believe  he  is  the  greatest  friend  of  our  republic  and  of  our  Bible 
freedom  that  there  is  in  the  universe.  It  won’t  ruin  us  at  all  to  have  his  mon- 
archy exalted,  and  that  kingdom  come  which  is  not  meat,  and  especially  not 


22 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


drink,  “ but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.”  That  is  the 
kingdom  we  want. 

Mr.  President  (you  must  excuse  me  if  I speak  it  in  his  hearing,)  it  affected 
me  to  see  the  President  of  Williams’  College  come  and  open  our  services  with 
prayer.  He  is  the  successor  of  a dear  friend  of  mine  who  is  in  heaven.  I 
mean  Dr.  Griffin.  I just  thought  of  these  sweet  words  of  the  poet,  speaking  of 
religion’s  being  so  appropriate  to  be  ensconced  in  the  best  educated  and  disci- 
plined minds : 

“ Learning  has  borne  such  fruit  in  other  days 
On  all  her  branches.  Piety  has  found 
Friends  in  the  friends  of  science  ; and  true  prayer 
Has  flowed  from  lips  wet  with  Caatalian  dews. 

Such  was  thy  wisdom,  Newton,  child-!ike  sage  ! 

Sagacious  reader  of  the  works  of  God, 

And  in  his  Word  sagacious.  Such  too  thine, 

Milton,  whose  genius  had  angelic  wings, 

And  fed  on  manna.  And  such  thine,  in  whom 
Our  British  Themis  gloried  with  jnst  cause, 

Immortal  Hale ! for  deep  discernment  famed, 

And  6ound  integrity,  not  more,  than  praised 
For  sanctity  of  manners  undefiled.' ’ 

And,  sir,  as  I have  got  into  the  vicinity  of  the  muses,  I will  just  recite  a thing 
from  another  poet,  because  I want  the  piety  of  that  kitchen  Christian  to  be  imi- 
tated by  ladies  in  the  parlours,  and  the  nurseries,  and  the  streets,  and  wherever 
they  go,  showing  that  they  love  the  Redeemer,  the  friend  of  the  ladies  of  Beth- 
any, Martha  and  Mary.  It  is,  sir,  that  in  private  ways  they  have  access  of 
means  where  ministers  would  frighten — they  will  run  away  from  them.  But 
sometimes,  if  you  know  a wild  and  worldly  brother,  uncle,  relative,  friend, 
possibly  a lover,  I would  advise  you  in  a proper  way  to  approach  him: '“Take 
this  Bible  for  my  sake,  and  read  it ! In  the  language  of  the  “ Night 
Thoughts  ” — 

“ Retire,  and  read  thy  Bible— to  be  gay  ! 

There  truths  abound  of  sovereign  aid  to'peace. 

Ah,  do  not  prize  them  less  because  inspired  ; 

As  thou  and  thine  are  fond  aud  proud  to  do.  I 

If  not  inspired,  that  pregnant  page  had  stood 
Time’s  treasure,  and  the  wouder  of  the  wise. 

A page  where  triumphs  immortality; 

Which  not  the  whole  creation  could  produce  ! 

Which  not  the  conflagration  can  destroy. 

In  nature's  ruins  not  one  letter  lost— 

’Tis  printed  iu  the  mind  of  God  for  ever.” 

I conclude,  my  honoured,  respected  Christian  brethren,  friends,  and  coun- 
trymen, by  saying,  Oh,  let  it  be  printed  in  living  letters  of  light  upon  the  con- 
scious tablets  of  your  souls.  I am  more  aged  than  Paul  was,  though  not  as 
wise;  and  when  he  was  ready  to  be  offered,  only  thinking  of  his  coronation,  he 
says : “ I am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand. 
I have  fought  a good  fight,  I have  finished  my  course,  I have  kept  the  faith: 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord, 
the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day:  and  not  to  me  only,  but  (let 
us  come  into  that  appendix  for  an  inheritance)  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his 
appearing.”  Blessed  Jesus,  come ! Hallelujah.  Amen. 


ANNIVERSARY  ADDRESSES. 


23 


The  Rev.  Edwin  L.  Janes,  in  seconding  the  resolution,  spoke  as  follows : 

In  seconding  the  adoption  of  this  resolution,  I propose  to  make  no  extended 
remarks.  I will  only  say,  sir,  what  a Christian  poet  said  many  years  ago,  and 
which  is  as  true  now  as  then,  that : 

“ God  moves  in  a mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform  ; 

He  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea, 

And  rides  upon  the  storm.” 

The  convulsions,  sir,  of  the  old  world,  referred  to  in  this  resolution,  are,  to 
my  mind,  but  the  manifestations  of  a God  of  infinite  wisdom  and  power ; and 
when  He  moves,  and  where  He  moves,  in  his  might  and  majesty,  tyrants,  and 
thrones,  and  kingdoms,  must  fall  before  him,  and  the  masses  of  the  ignorant 
and  superstitious  must  yield  to  the  power  and  progress  of  his  revealed  truth ; 
and,  sir,  it  affords  me  intense  gratitude  of  heart  to  recognise  the  fact,  to  which 
this  resolution  points  as  with  the  index  finger  of  truth,  that  God  has  his  hand 
of  wisdom  and  power  upon  the  helm  of  this  world’s  affairs,  and  is  moving  for- 
ward amid  the  convulsions  of  the  times,  with  the  gracious  design  to  save  the 
nations. 

I therefore,  with  the  utmost  pleasure,  second  the  resolution. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  DeWitt,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  pronounced  the  benedic- 
tion, and  the  Society  adjourned. 


/ 


